Prism: Gem Trading Strategy Game Online
Collect gems, buy cards, win Patrons. First to 15 prestige.
Strategy · 2 to 4 players · about 40 minutes · free to host, nothing to download, TV optional
About the game
Gems in, cards out, and every card makes the next one cheaper. Prism is a quiet engine building game for 2 to 4 players that runs about 40 minutes. It works well as a two player evening and gets tighter with four, when the bank and the market both run thin.
One action a turn keeps it easy to follow on the TV, where everyone can see the market, the bank and the Patrons. No TV? Pick "Just this screen" and the whole table sits on your own screen. Friends on a video call do the same on their own devices.
How to play
- On your turn, take chips, buy a card, or reserve a card. Take three different colours, or two of one colour if the bank has at least four. Return extras if you hold more than ten chips.
- Pay a card’s cost with chips. Every card you own gives a permanent discount in its colour, so later cards cost less. Starlight chips can pay for any colour.
- Reserve up to three cards to buy later. Reserving also gives a Starlight chip if one is available. Collect the card discounts shown on a Patron to win their prestige.
- The target is fifteen prestige. Reaching it starts the final round so everyone gets the same number of turns. Highest prestige wins; fewer purchased cards breaks a tie.
Open a room for Prism. No app, no accounts, free to host.
Tips to play well
- Early on, cheap Sketches beat prestige. Each card is a permanent discount in its colour, and a few discounts soon let you buy Studies and Masterworks for very few chips.
- Watch the Patrons from the start. Each wants a mix of card colours, such as four ruby and four amber, and pays 3 prestige. There is one more Patron than there are players, so the race for them is real.
- Reserve to block as well as to plan. Taking a card a rival clearly needs costs them a turn, and you usually get a Starlight chip for it, which pays for any colour.
- Mind the ten chip limit. Hoarding means handing chips back, and if your clock runs out the game only takes chips for you, it never buys.
Host settings
- Seconds per turn: 30 to 120 seconds in steps of 10, with 60 as the default. It is the only lobby setting; the target is always fifteen prestige.
- Computer players: The host can add bots to fill seats up to four. They buy what scores, chase Patrons and reserve cards they nearly afford.
Questions people ask
How is Prism different from Splendor?
It is our own take on the gem trading, card buying style that Splendor is known for. The cards, names, Patrons and artwork are all ours.
Is it good for two players?
Yes. With two the bank holds four chips of each gem instead of seven, so taking two of one colour is rarer and every reserve stings.
Who wins on a tie?
Whoever bought fewer cards. If prestige and card count are both level, the win is shared.
Is it free?
Yes. The host opens a free room and friends join with the four letter code, no sign up or download needed.
Similar games
- Night Express: Claim rail lines across the USA and connect your secret routes. 2 to 5 players, about 45 minutes.
- Isle of Tides: Settle a hex island, trade at the docks, and build your settlements. First to ten lanterns. 2 to 6 players, about 60 minutes.
- Summit: Ten stages to the top. Collect sets, runs and colours, lay them down, and climb one stage a hand. 2 to 6 players, about 45 minutes.
Guides
- Games Like Splendor: 10 to Play Next, Plus How to Play Splendor Online: The best games like Splendor for two, for families and for bigger combos, how to play Splendor online with friends, and the strategy that wins.
- Free Board Games Online With Friends: What to Play, and Where, With No Download: The best free board games to play online with friends, sorted by what your group wants, and where to play each classic in a browser.
- Games Like Ticket to Ride: Route Building Games to Play Next, and How to Play Ticket to Ride Online: The best route building games like Ticket to Ride, from quick family picks to deeper ones, plus how to play Ticket to Ride online and what it costs.
- Game Night Games: 60 of the Best, Picked by Group Size, Crowd and Time: The best game night games for 2 to 20 people, sorted by group size, crowd, place and time, with players, minutes and what you need for each.
Splendor is a trademark of its owner. Rondovo is not affiliated with it.